Lovers of Horses
by KathyG
Summary: In this three-part pre-Zorro story, based on the Family Channel series, a mare goes into labor during the visit of Don Rafael de la Vega. Will mother and colt survive? And will the foal's birth help to ease a very young, grieving Felipe's homesickness? STORY COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

**PART 1**

Felipe Cortez leaned against the wooden railing, watching the cream-colored pregnant mare lumber back and forth in the corral. The de la Vega breeding barn's rock facade loomed in the background. The deaf-mute servant boy bit back his lips to keep from crying. He couldn't stop thinking about his godparents, Paco and Alicia Lopez, or their orphaned nephew, Rafael.

For a moment, Felipe scowled at the wisps of clouds drifting across the sky. The November sunlight beat down on his head, as it had done every day since his arrival. Beads of sweat trickled down his face. In the nine days since Felipe had started working for the de la Vegas (and the 12 days since he had first come to Los Angeles), it had not rained once. For that matter, it had not rained at all since the seven-year-old boy had arrived in California over two months before.

_It's always sunny here,_ the little boy thought. _Don't it ever rain? It rains a lot in San Miguel!_

Felipe removed a soft cotton handkerchief from the top of his white cotton trousers and wiped his face, then stuffed it back into his trousers. His wooden rosary nestled next to his handkerchief. The smooth beads pressed against his skin. Rubbing his nose, he again thought of the Lopezes.

Felipe's father had been a _peon_ and a tenant farmer. His neighbor, Paco Lopez, had lived on a nearby tenant farm with his wife and nephew, two miles from San Miguel de Bajio, a village in central Mexico. Paco had been like an uncle to Felipe, and Rafael had been like a cousin. Godfather Lopez had told the two boys many stories and had played them songs on his mandolin; Rafael had played with Felipe. Godfather Lopez had made Felipe feel safe and loved whenever he was around, and Rafael had been a marvelous playmate. Now Felipe's relationship with his loving godparents and his best friend had been severed permanently. He missed them terribly, as he did his mother.

_It's not fair!_ Felipe pouted. _Why does Don Diego's cousin have to be called Rafael?_ He patted the mare's velvety cheek when she approached him. Princesa nuzzled his hand. Rubbing the horse's forehead, Felipe continued to reminisce.

Don Diego de la Vega and his father, Don Alejandro, had received a letter the day before, stating that Diego's younger cousin, Don Rafael, was coming to visit them. Don Rafael's late father had died in Guadalajara that summer. Don Diego and Don Rafael had gone there to say good-bye to him, and to attend his funeral and the reading of the will.

Don Rafael had stayed behind in Guadalajara to assist his widowed mother and older brother. Diego had returned to the _pueblo de_ Los Angeles with his tutor, Jonathan Spencer. On the way, they had run into the revolutionary battle that had killed Felipe's parents. Three days later, they had found the lost war orphan, terrified, grief-stricken, and half-starved. Following a long, futile effort to find him a home, the de la Vegas had hired Felipe to serve them as houseboy. Until he became of legal age, he would be a ward of the church; until he turned 25, he would work as an indentured servant.

Felipe sighed. He had grown to love the de la Vegas, and he knew they loved him. But that didn't stop him from missing his own loved ones. He wiped a tear off his cheek.

_I miss my Godfather Lopez,_ he thought. _I want him!_ He sighed again.

Until recently, Felipe had not thought much about his godparents; his grief had been focused on his deceased mother and father. Ever since Don Alejandro had told him about Don Rafael's imminent visit, however, Felipe had been unable to stop thinking about Rafael Lopez and his aunt and uncle (the _don's_ name reminded Felipe too much of the Rafael he had known). They were probably alive (and maybe by now, back in San Miguel), but Felipe had no way to be with them.

Rafael, Rafael, Rafael. The name sounded in his mind's ear like a chant. A vision of a skinny, wiry, fidgety boy with coal-black hair rose before him. An impulsive, rambunctious boy who used to get into trouble a lot, tease Felipe, and play with him whenever they got together.

The horse suddenly stuck its head over the wooden railing and nuzzled the little boy's forehead. Felipe smiled in spite of his grief. True to his name, he loved horses. Even though he'd never had any direct contact with a horse till Don Diego and his tutor had found him, he had found within himself an affinity with them he'd never known he had on the long journey to California. Back in San Miguel, he had loved animals. His late parents and godparents had each owned a _burro_ and two goats, and Felipe had played with them and helped care for them.

_I hope the baby horse hurries up and gets born,_ he thought. _I want to see it. I want to play with it!_ Without thinking, he inserted his index finger into his mouth.

A hand rested on Felipe's shoulder, startling him. Jerking the finger down to his side, he whirled around to see a laughing Don Alejandro behind him, dressed in a grayish-blue frockcoat and a blue silk vest. In that instant, the fragrant scent of men's cologne wafted toward the little boy's nose.

"This is the third time, lately, that Diego or I have found you out here." The elderly _caballero_ ruffled the boy's hair as he spoke. "Princesa won't give birth for another week, _amigo_." He inserted his fingers into his vest pockets.

Felipe frowned. A week?! That was too long!

Don Alejandro knelt before him, an amused, yet sympathetic smile creasing his face. "Felipe, trust me; a week is nothing. My son and I have had to wait almost a year for Princesa to give birth. That's how long it takes mares."

He patted Felipe's shoulder and rose to his feet. "We'll just have to be patient, my boy. The day will come before you know it. I guarantee that." He straightened his frockcoat and patted his vest.

Reluctantly, Felipe nodded. Don Alejandro glanced at his gleaming gold timepiece, inserted it back into his vest pocket, then lifted the little boy in his arms. "I'll tell you what. When Miguel tells me the mare's having her baby, I'll let you stay with us until she gives birth. Even if it's in the middle of the night. Deal?" Felipe smiled and nodded. That would be fun.

"Then let's go to the house." Don Alejandro set the boy on his hip. "My nephew's due to arrive any time. I want you to stand in the front garden and let us know when you see a carriage coming, all right?" Nodding, Felipe pressed his fingers into the soft, smooth jacket shoulder.

Minutes later, as Felipe wandered aimlessly in front of the picket fence, a green carriage appeared on the horizon. The little boy stood stock-still and watched. The carriage came closer. A man in a brown suit sat driving the trotting horse.

Felipe raced toward the front door. Darting into the foyer, he found the de la Vegas reclining on a light-blue, silk-brocade sofa in the drawing room. A dark-blue, leather-bound book rested in Don Diego's lap.

"He's here?" Don Alejandro rose to his feet as he spoke. Felipe nodded, pointing toward the polished mahogany door.

Laying the book aside, Don Diego stood up and straightened his ruffled sleeves. He had donned a navy-blue _charro_ jacket and a matching pair of trousers.

The aged _don_ led Felipe out the door. "I want you to open the carriage door when it stops," he told the boy. Obediently, Felipe rushed through the gate just before the carriage halted in front.

The servant boy opened the carriage door, and the _caballero_ stepped out. As Felipe watched, the strange _caballero_ hugged Don Alejandro and then Don Diego. He had brown hair slicked against the sides of his head, a brown beard, and a mustache. He wore a dark-brown frockcoat, a lighter-brown silk vest, and a white silk cravat tied around the collar of his snow-white ruffled linen shirt. A cool breeze suddenly arose, caressing Felipe's cheeks and ruffling his brown hair.

"It's so good to see you, nephew." Don Alejandro smiled, yet there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He grasped his nephew's shoulders.

"Indeed, is is." Don Diego smiled broadly.

The new _don_ nodded. Clasping his hands behind his back, he turned toward Felipe. "Is that your new indentured servant? The one you told me about in your letters?" As the other two always did, he stood erect, with his shoulders held back.

Don Alejandro nodded. "_Si._ Permit me to introduce our houseboy, Felipe." He beckoned to the little boy, who slowly approached them with a shy smile. "Felipe, this is my nephew, Rafael de la Vega. His father-my brother-lived in Guadalajara; he's dead now. Rafael owns a horse ranch in Santa Barbara."

Rafael! The word slammed into Felipe's mind. _Not fair! Not fair!_ his heart screamed. _Where is_ **my**_ Rafael? Why can't_ he_ be here, too?!_

Pain, violent pain, surged anew in the little boy's heart. He could stand it no longer. Even if Godfather Lopez was still alive, Felipe would never see him again, or Godmother Lopez, or Rafael either. Paco Lopez would never again tell Felipe a story or play a song for him on his mandolin. Fighting back tears, Felipe rushed through the gate and toward the carriage entrance at the side of the building.

Minutes later, Felipe leaned against the _adobe_ wall on the other side, and wept profusely. The smooth _adobe_ bricks pressed into his arm. He could hold back the tears no longer. _I wish Godfather Lopez was here,_ he thought. _I want to be with him! I want him here! I want Rafael!_

As the boy crouched against the wall, he thought about the times Rafael Lopez would climb the nearest tree, looking for a branch to make a toy out of...the times Rafael splashed Felipe when they played in the creek, then darted off, laughing, when Felipe splashed him back...the time Rafael jumped out of a bush to scare Felipe...and the times the boys fought over a toy or something else. Felipe and Rafael were the same age, and had known each other from babyhood.

_You were the best friend in the whole world,_ Felipe thought, snuffling. _I wish you and Godmother Lopez and Godfather Lopez was here! And Mommy! And Papá!_

A hand rested on his shoulder, then gently turned him around. Don Rafael knelt before him, concern etching his bearded face. Without a word, he hugged the boy for a long moment, pattiing his back, then removed a handkerchief from his inside coat pocket to wipe Felipe's face with. Don Diego stood behind his cousin, arms crossed in front of his chest, sadness etched on his expressive, mustached face.

"Blow," Rafael ordered. Felipe did as he was told, then handed the handkerchief to Don Rafael.

"Diego and Uncle Alejandro told me about your ordeal and loss, _amigo_." The _caballero_ inserted the handkerchief into his pocket. "And Diego also tells me you've told him of a boy you once knew. His name was Rafael, too, was it not?" Felipe nodded, sniffling. He had, indeed, told Diego about his friend only the day before, after learning of Don Rafael's expected visit.

Don Rafael brushed Felipe's brown hair out of his eyes. "Well, you know, Felipe, I'm in grief, too." Pain etched his face. "My father died in Guadalajara last summer, and I miss him terribly. You and I both lost loved ones last summer. And that makes us feel very sad."

Felipe nodded. It sure did.

With a comforting smile, Don Rafael straightened his back while remaining crouched. The clean, spicy smell Felipe had come to associate with _caballeros_ emanated from Rafael's clothes. "While I'm here, we'll just have to comfort each other, you and I." His eyes twinkled. "My uncle tells me you love his horses." Felipe nodded, surprising himself with a wan smile.

"Well, so do I." This time, Don Rafael's smile looked genuine. "I love horses, too. I always have, ever since I was younger than you. As a matter of fact, I intend to go over my uncle's breeding stock while I'm here. I'm hoping that'll help take my mind off my loss and give me something new to think about. I may want to buy some foals from him later."

Don Rafael patted the boy's shoulder. "Why don't you accompany me, Felipe, and we'll look at the horses together? I have a hunch you could use something new to think about, too."

Felipe smiled and nodded. That would be fun. And maybe it would help make him feel better. He gazed up at Don Diego. A worried expression creased the _caballero's_ forehead.

"Felipe doesn't know how to ride, Rafael," Don Diego warned his cousin. "You'll have to inspect the horses on foot if you take Felipe with you." He clasped his hands behind his back as he spoke.

Don Rafael rose to his feet. "_Si,_ Diego. I'll just take him to the barns and the stables." He gazed down at the boy and smiled. "This is quite a boy you have here." He squeezed Felipe's shoulder.

Don Diego smiled tenderly at Felipe as he nodded agreement. "Felipe is a sweet, lovable boy. He has a way of winning people's hearts, believe me."

"_Si,_ I can see that." Don Rafael laughed as he inserted the fingers of his left hand into one of his vest pockets. The breeze played with the ends of the _caballero's_ hair.

Don Diego turned to Felipe. "My cousin Rafael is a good man. Steady, responsible, and gentlemanly." Don Rafael smiled his thanks.

His expression turned serious. "Uh, Diego, my uncle told me earlier that one of your mares is getting ready to foal."

"Yes, she is." Diego frowned. "However, we fear it's not going to be an easy birth. Princesa's already lost two foals; we fear she may also lose this one, and possibly her life as well. Miguel's keeping a special eye on her." His cousin furrowed his eyebrows in concern.

"I should like to see her." Rafael smoothed his brown frockcoat.

Diego glanced at his timepiece as it gleamed in the sunlight. "Certainly. There's still some time before my lessons start. Would you like to come, Felipe?" The little boy nodded and smiled. The three set off toward the breeding barn.

**END OF PART 1**

4


	2. Chapter 2

**PART 2**

"A magnificent mare!" Shaking his head in admiration, Don Rafael patted the oversized mare's velvety cheek. "This Andalusian should give birth to a fine foal indeed." He glanced down at Princesa's swollen stomach. Felipe grasped the wooden railing surrounding the corral and swung to and fro. Dust-size wooden cips dug into his palms.

"Yes. Providing the foal survives its birth." Don Diego squeezed Felipe's shoulder as the little boy gazed up at him. "Felipe, here, certainly likes her-for the last few days, he's been sneaking out here every chance he gets, just to watch Princesa and pet her. Ever since my father told him Princesa was expecting, he's been on pins and needles to see the new foal!" His eyes twinkled.

Rafael chuckled. "He certainly lives up to the meaning of his name, doesn't he? 'Lover of horses.'" Felipe grinned.

Pausing, Don Rafael clasped his hands behind his back. "Lovers of horses,'" he added. "I may not share his first name, but I've shared the same love of horses as Felipe since I can remember. My whole life, in fact."

With a laugh, Don Diego turned to Felipe. "My cousin's whole life is his horse ranch. He's younger than I am, but he's already very successful."

Grinning, Rafael patted Diego's arm. "Thank you for the praise, cousin. Yes, horses _are_ my whole life now, but I hope that won't always be the case." He gazed thoughtfully at Felipe. "One day, I hope to have a wife and children, as well. I do want a good woman to share my life with, and a son to pass my property onto." His eyes twinkled. "I may just steal this boy away from you, Diego."

Laughing, Don Diego lifted Felipe and set him on the third rung of the railing. Smiling broadly, the servant boy gently patted the horse's cheek. Princesa nuzzled the boy's hand. Felipe hugged the mare, then turned to face Diego. The breeze ruffled his hair.

"Well, Felipe, if all goes well, it won't be long, now, until this mare will be nursing a foal." Don Diego looked pleased at the prospect. The little boy signed a response. "Yes, it _is_ hard to believe that she could actually be holding a baby inside her body, isn't it? That there could actually be room in her body to hold one." The _caballero_ chuckled. "Yet, she is. That's how animals and people have babies, you know. Some animals lay eggs, and others carry their babies inside their bodies until they're ready to be born." Smiling, Don Rafael nodded agreement.

At that moment, Don Diego turned around. Craning his head, Felipe saw Don Alejandro approach them. "It's time for your lessons, my son. Señor Spencer is waiting for you in the library." The elderly _caballero_ inserted his fingers into his vest pockets as he spoke.

Diego nodded and set Felipe on the ground. "Yes, Father." He ruffled Felipe's hair, then left.

Don Rafael gazed at Felipe. "That was a good thing you and Diego did, giving this boy a home. You're a good man, Uncle."

With a chuckle, Don Alejandro patted the boy's soft cheek, then crossed his arms. "My son has always cared about people in need, nephew." He gazed at his son proudly as Diego approached the house. "And when he found this young man here, believe me, his need was desperate. He'd been lost on the desert for three days following that battle, with no food and little water." Rafael winced.

Don Alejandro glanced at his gold timepiece. "Why don't you come with me to the breeding barn, Rafael, and I'll show you some of the other expecting mares? Felipe, if you wish to come with us, you may. I'll see if we can find something for you to feed the horses with." Felipe beamed at the prospect.

All afternoon, the three of them examined the mares in their stalls. Felipe petted each one and fed her a carrot the attending _vaquero_ gave him. When Diego had finished his lessons, he joined them. Early that evening, before dinner, Don Rafael held Felipe in his lap and told him a story while Diego read a book and Don Alejandro wrote a letter.

At bedtime, as Felipe lay on his straw mat in the Gomez hut, he thought about Don Rafael. _I like him,_ the little boy thought. _He's fun. He sure is different from Rafael Lopez, though!_ He hugged his stuffed bear against his chin. The de la Vegas had given it to him a few nights before.

An old memory crept into Felipe's mind...

_"Felipe!" _

_Felipe sat crouching against the wall of his parents' wattle-and-daub barn, daydreaming. At first, he did not respond. Raindrops glistened on the blades of grass crushed under his weight. A shower had passed through the area not long before. _

_"Felipe!" _

_The little boy raised his head. To his delight, Rafael Lopez was loping toward him, his coal-black hair disheveled. _

_"Guess what!" Rafael raced up to him. "Uncle Paco says you can spend the night!" _

_A delighted Felipe leaped to his feet. A chance to spend the night at the Lopez hut was always fun. "Mommy!" _

_Consuela Cortez stepped out the doorway of their wattle-and-daub hut, rubbing her hands on her faded cotton apron. "What is it, son?" _

_The two six-year-old boys darted toward her. "Señora Cortez,_ tio mio_ said Felipe could spend the night with us. Can he?_ Por favor?_" Rafael hopped from one foot to the other. _

_Consuela laughed. "_Si,_ he can. But he must come back first thing in the morning and do his chores. His papá will be angry if he don't." _

_"_Si,_ Mommy." Felipe wrapped his arms around her chest and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. _

_"Race you to the hill!" Laughing, Rafael took off toward the summit of the hill dividing their two farms. Felipe rushed behind..._

The sleepy boy opened his eyes. Pablo Gomez had just blown out the candles; the only light now came from the dying embers in the fireplace. Yawning, Felipe closed his eyes, lay his arm across the bear's soft, squishy body, and waited for sleep to come. In the morning, before breakfast, he would have to polish Don Diego's boots. The _caballero_ had been teaching him how, lately.

As the little boy drifted to sleep, the de la Vegas reclined in the drawing room, chatting.

"Rafael, you've got a question on your mind." Don Alejandro leaned forward, resting his hands in his lap. "What is it?"

Rafael furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm surprised that no one's teaching your new boy to ride."

Don Diego nodded. "He's going to learn how, Rafael. Believe me. But first, we want him to have the right mount to practice on. We don't want him on a horse until then."

Don Alejandro nodded agreement. "I have a friend in Europe who breeds and sells Shetland ponies. He sells them to the children of royalty and the nobility. I wrote to him the other day, asking him to sell me one of those ponies. Diego, here, learned learned to ride on one when he was three years old."

Don Rafael listened attentively. "Why a Shetland pony, uncle? Wouldn't a _burro_ do for starters?"

The aged _don_ glanced at his son and chuckled. "I thought about that, Rafael, and decided against it. We also decided not to make the boy take his riding lessons on one of our horses. Felipe's never been on a horse in his life, you see, and he's small. If a horse were to get spooked and throw him, he'd be badly injured or killed. We want to wait till he's older, bigger, and an experienced rider before we give him a regular horse."

Don Diego nodded agreement. "We just feel it would be safer, and as _burros_ tend to be stubborn and difficult to handle, we decided not to give him one. A pony will be easier and safer for him to practice on."

Rafael nodded. "I understand your reasoning. When do you expect the pony to arrive?"

Don Alejandro glanced at Diego again. "Not before next summer. Diego will probably be in Madrid by the time it does. I've ordered the boy some school materials, too. Felipe's going to learn to read and write when Diego leaves for Spain next year." Diego smiled.

The elderly _caballero_ rose to his feet and said good-night. Diego and Rafael sat in the drawing room for an hour longer, chatting about their trip to Guadalajara before going to bed.

**ZZZZZ**

The days passed, one after the other. Every day, while Diego had his lessons with his tutor, Don Alejandro would take his nephew out to inspect the horses. Whenever they walked to the barns or stables, Felipe accompanied them. When they rode horseback to inspect those grazing in the pasture, the little boy stayed behind to amuse himself as well as he could.

Felipe, meanwhile, continued to learn his new duties. He polished Don Diego's fine leather boots every morning at dawn. He took messages to _vaqueros_ who were working near the house. Sometimes, he dusted tables or other furniture; once in a while, he brought snacks to his masters and to Don Rafael. Frequently, he fetched items to take to the de la Vegas.

Whenever a visitor came in a carriage, Felipe would open the carriage door. On Friday night, the de la Vegas held a dinner party for Rafael. Felipe stood outside to open carriage doors until every guest, both _caballero_ and _doña_, had arrived. And on the following day, at Don Alejandro's insistence, he and Don Diego helped weed the kitchen garden for two hours. On the previous Saturday, Don Alejandro had made Felipe feed and groom a donkey while Don Diego fed and groomed a horse.

"From now on, Felipe, in addition to your regular houseboy duties, you'll perform a regular farm chore for two hours on Saturdays," Don Alejandro had explained, the previous Saturday. "That way, if it should be necessary for you to support yourself farming when you're a man, you'll have the skills to do so. I required the same thing of Diego, too, from his earliest years. And still do, as you can see."

Now, Don Diego laughed ruefully as he rubbed his soil-stained hands. "Remember what my father said to you, last Saturday?" Felipe nodded. "Well, that has been be my weekly routine, Felipe, ever since I can remember, and it will continue to be until I go away to college next summer. Over the years, for approximately two hours a week-once a week-I've had to milk cows and goats, slop hogs, feed and groom horses, grow gardens, chop wood, harvest wheat, cut corn-you name it. And frequently, as you know, I have to ride with my father and the _vaqueros_ to round up cattle and horses." Diego removed his handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his perspiring face.

Felipe wrinkled his nose and Rafael laughed. Don Diego went to the house to change his clothes.

_I had to do chores every day, at home,_ Felipe thought wryly, rubbing his sweaty face with the back of his hand. _Milk the goats, work in the garden, fetch wood, and other stuff._ He brushed his damp hair out of his brown eyes.

Don Rafael spent much time with the little boy. When he wasn't looking over the de la Vega stock, he told Felipe stories and took him walking. Whenever Felipe had one of his flashbacks that brought back all the horror of the battle killing his parents, Don Rafael took his turn bringing the boy out of it. Once, when a neighboring _caballero_ visited, he and Rafael had a fencing match as Felipe and his _patróns_ watched. Felipe, who had never seen swordplay before, watched the exhibition with a mixture of fascination and delight.

Sometimes, Don Rafael roughhoused with Felipe, much to the little boy's delight, as he did on Sunday evening before dinner, eight days after Rafael's arrival. The de la Vega household had gone to confession the night before and to church that morning. Felipe had participated in confession and the Eucharist, much to his joy.

"All right, nephew, enough!" Don Alejandro laughed as Don Rafael and Felipe leaned against the couch, panting. The two had plopped down on the cold marble floor. "You're going to have that boy so excited he won't be able to settle down at dinnertime." The aged _don_ glanced at his son at the far side of the room. Diego leaned against the yellowish-beige wall, arms crossed, an amused expression on his face.

Chuckling, Don Rafael patted the little boy's shoulder. "Felipe and I were just having fun, Uncle Alejandro."

The young _don_ removed his handkerchief from his inside jacket pocket to wipe his sweaty face. His tan _charro_ jacket looked rumpled. Grinning, Felipe crossed his legs, Indian-style, and brushed his brown hair out of his eyes. He pressed his palm down on the floor's smooth, unyielding surface.

"_Si, si._ I can see that." Bending over, Don Alejandro wiped beads of sweat off Felipe's forehead with his own handkerchief. "But it's time to take it easy now, you two." Straightening his back, he gave Felipe a meaningful look.

"Yes, uncle." Don Rafael nodded his acquiescence. "Come with me to my quarters, Felipe, and I'll tell you a story." He helped Felipe to his feet, then straightened his jacket.

Before the two could leave the drawing room, Miguel rushed into the room. "_Patrón!_ Princesa is in labor."

Don Alejandro and Don Rafael stared at each other, then at Diego. "We'd better go to the breeding barn immediately. Princesa may have difficulty again," the aged _don_ said. Rafael nodded agreement.

Turning to Felipe, Don Alejandro ordered, "Wait a moment, my boy. I need you to deliver a note to Maria."

Don Alejandro perched at his desk. Dipping a quill pen into a gleaming gold inkpot, he scribbled some instructions on a piece of parchment. "Felipe, take this to Maria; it tells her what supplies to send to the breeding barn. Then come out there and join us." Taking the parchment, Felipe nodded and rushed toward the kitchen to give the cook the master's note.

**ZZZZZ**

Sitting cross-legged on a pile of straw, Felipe rubbed Princesa's neck. The mare had lain immobile on her side for hours; throughout that time, Felipe had drifted in and out of sleep. During his wakeful hours, he had sat at the horse's side, petting her.

Don Diego had been in and out of the barn, to check on things. At the moment, he was doing his homework in the house, Felipe knew. Señor Spencer assigned it every day, at the end of Diego's lessons.

The thought of seeing the newborn foal brought a smile to his lips. Felipe couldn't wait to see it. He'd been looking forward to this event for days. He glanced briefly at the lit torches that cast flickering shadows in the walls and corners.

Once, he looked up at Don Alejandro, Don Rafael, and Miguel. The three worried men knelt beside the mare, tight-lipped. Don Alejandro folded his arms across his chest, and Don Rafael rested his palms on his thighs, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Felipe pressed his hands against the straw to keep his balance. They dug into his palms. The boy took a deep breath as the dull ache of apprehension arose in his heart. Surely nothing bad would happen now!

At last, Don Alejandro glanced at his timepiece and shook his head, purse-lipped. "This has been going on too long." He looked at Miguel, who nodded agreement. "We're going to have to help the foal, or he's not going to make it." The aged _don_ patted Princesa's withers, then inserted his fingers into his brown velvet vest pockets.

Without a word, the foreman reached into the mare's womb. Felipe held his breath and made the sign of the cross.

"The head's not turned right, _patrón_." Miguel shook his head. "Before I can do anythin', I got to turn the foal in the right position."

"Do it, then," Rafael ordered. "Do whatever it takes to save the foal."

Minutes passed as the head _vaquero_ pressed and massaged the horse's lower abdomen. Without thinking, Felipe stuck his index finger into his mouth and sucked it. For once, Don Alejandro didn't chide him to stop. His full attention was fixed on the mare. The elderly _caballero_ kept his fingers inserted into his vest pockets the whole time.

_Please, God,_ Felipe silently prayed. Por favor, _let the foal live!_

At last, Miguel straightened his back. "The foal is in the right position, _patrón_." Felipe grinned, relieved, and Don Alejandro relaxed. Don Rafael smiled for the fist time in hours. Miguel bent over the mare again.

Minutes passed as the mare gave birth to the foal. Like its mother, it was cream-colored. "It's a boy," Miguel announced. "A colt. This one's alive, _patrón_."

"Good." Don Alejandro sighed. "_Gracias de Dios!_ This is a moment I've long awaited."

While the foal lay immobile next to its mother on the bed of hay, the mare licked it dry. Don Alejandro restrained Felipe to keep him from rushing toward the colt. "Not yet, Felipe. Wait a few minutes."

Suddenly, the mare stiffened. Felipe froze and caught his breath. A minute later, the mare went limp.

The servant boy stared at a stricken Don Alejandro. The flickering light from the torches highlighted the horror etching the elderly _caballero's_ lined face.

Miguel pressed his hand against Princesa's chest for a long moment, then shook his head. "She's dead."

The two _dons_ slumped their shoulders. Don Rafael shook his head, deep pain etching his face.

Don Alejandro glanced at his nephew. "Well, my son and I are stuck with an orphan foal." He sighed. "Unless we can find another horse to nurse the colt, he will soon die, too. We must act quickly!"

"Yes." Don Rafael stared at the colt.

Don Alejandro rose to his feet. "Miguel, while I'm gone, you make something for the colt to eat; he must be fed every few hours or oftener." Miguel nodded.

"Felipe and I will stay with the colt," Rafael said.

The aged _don_ straightened his dark-brown _charro_ jacket. "I'll take one of the other _vaqueros_ with me and see if we can find a nursing mare. Let's go, Miguel. Time is of the essence."

The _vaquero_ followed his _patrón_ out the barn's entrance. Felipe glanced at Don Rafael, who patted his shoulder and tried to smile. Shifting weight on the pile of hay, the boy swallowed a lump in his throat. Would they be able to save the newborn colt?

**END OF PART 2 **

6


	3. Chapter 3

**PART 3**

Bending over, Felipe rubbed the foal's neck. The colt licked the little boy's hand.

_He's so cute!_ Felipe thought, smiling. Switching ankles, he re-crossed his legs. Pieces of hay pressed against his hips; their tips pierced his trousers and dug into his skin.

Miguel returned with a sloshing pail and set it next to the colt. He bent over Felipe and tapped his shoulder. As the servant boy watched, Miguel stuck a finger into the milk and inserted it into the foal's mouth. The foal sucked the _vaquero's_ finger dry.

"Goat's milk," Miguel explained to the boy. "With honey added. Good for the foal, easy on his stomach." Felipe smiled.

The _vaquero's_ normally gruff expression now consisted of a twinkle and an amused smile. "All right, _muchacho,_ it's your turn; I showed you how. You will do more good sticking that finger of yours into the foal's mouth than your own, no?"

Felipe blushed; he had not expected Miguel to notice what he had been doing. So far, only the de la Vegas had forbidden him to suck his fingers. Without signing a response, the little boy did as he was told. The foal sucked the milk off of Felipe's finger as the boy held it in its mouth. When he glanced up at the foreman, Miguel nodded his approval.

"Keep doing it, Felipe." Miguel nodded toward the foal. "We want the colt to drink as much of this milk as possible until we find him a nursing mare. Newborn foals need lots of milk to live and grow." Felipe looked at Don Rafael, who smiled and nodded.

"Listen to Miguel," the _caballero_ advised. "He's one of the best with horses I've ever heard of." He wiped his bearded face with his linen handkerchief.

Nodding, Felipe stuck his finger back into the bucket. As the milk dripped off his fingertips, he inserted it between the teeth of the foal. Again, the foal sucked every drop of the milk.

A long time passed while Felipe kept doing so and the two men watched. Felipe would rub the foal's side while feeding it. The flickering torchlight cast shadows on the colt's face.

_Poor baby!_ Felipe thought. _He don't have a mamá or papá, either. Like me!_ He wrinkled his nose. _Wish I could talk to him!_

At last, a tap on Felipe's shoulder startled him. He half-twisted his upper body to see Don Alejandro and Don Diego standing behind him. Smiling, Don Diego helped the little boy to his feet. Because Felipe's legs felt tingly and numb, Diego supported him till feeling returned and he could stand on his own.

"Miguel tells us you've been doing a fine job feeding the foal, _amigo_." Don Alejandro smiled approvingly and patted the boy's shoulder. Felipe smiled back.

"He certainly has." Don Rafael ruffled the little boy's hair.

Miguel rubbed a large white cloth all over the colt's body. Felipe looked up at the de la Vegas, puzzled.

Don Rafael traced the outline of the little boy's face with his fingertips. "Felipe, one of the ways animals tell their own babies from others is by their scent. Their smell." Felipe furrowed his eyebrows. "A horse's sense of smell is much better than ours," the _don_ explained, clasping his hands behind his back. "So much better than ours that he can smell scents we can't. To a horse, each baby has a different scent."

Don Alejandro agreed. "One of our other mares just lost a foal, Felipe," he explained. "That foal had a different scent that this one does. Unless this foal smells the same as that other one, the mare will not accept him as her own. If she does not adopt him, she will not nurse him. A foal needs to be nursed and trained by a grown horse, to learn proper horse behavior."

Rafael nodded agreement. "It's all too easy for a human caretaker to spoil a foal, and then he doesn't know how to behave."

The aged _don_ turned around; watching him, Felipe did the same thing. Miguel was leading the foal out of the stall. "Come with us, Felipe, and we'll see what happens." Don Alejandro laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Miguel has rubbed the other foal's scent on him, hoping that will fool the mare into thinking he's hers."

Don Rafael grabbed one of the torches to light the way; Don Diego blew out the others. Felipe followed the men into the main part of the barn. A mare stood tethered to the door of another stall. Miguel led the colt toward her.

As Felipe held his breath, the mare just stared at the foal for a long moment, then sniffed it. Once, the boy glanced at his _patróns_. Don Diego crossed his arms and Don Alejandro clasped his hands behind his back, biting his lips. Don Rafael just stood stock-still, scarcely breathing. The fingers of his left hand hung loose in his vest pocket, and his right hand grasped the torch. Beams of torchlight formed an arc of on the hay-strew barn floor.

The foal wobbled toward the mare's nipples. To Felipe's relief, the mare did not try to stop him. Taking one of the nipples in its mouth, the colt started to suck on it.

Relaxing, the three men sighed with relief. "Well done, Miguel." Don Alejandro smiled.

_"Gracias, patrón."_ Miguel nodded acknowledgement, then gazed at the boy. "Felipe's the one who really deserves thanks. He fed the foal constantly, just as I showed him. He didn't stop till you brought the mare to the barn."

Don Alejandro smiled approvingly at Felipe, then glanced at his timepiece. "Well, it's been about 12 hours, now, since Princesa first went into labor. It's dawn, now."

Handing the torch to Miguel, Don Rafael hugged Felipe to his side, then looked at his uncle. "What are you going to call him?"

Don Alejandro scratched his head. "I don't know, nephew. I'm going to have to think about it."

Don Rafael nodded. "When the colt is old enough to train, I should like to buy him." He gazed at the colt as he spoke.

Don Alejandro and Don Diego looked at each other. Felipe could see silent communication going on between them. Holding his breath, he silently prayed that Don Alejandro would say no. He didn't want that colt to go anywhere!

"I'll tell you what." The aged _don_ touched his nephew's shoulder. "When the colt is four or five years old, I'll give him to you. He comes from excellent stock; you'll be able to breed him and sell his offspring for a good price."

Don Rafael smiled his thanks. "_Si, tio, y gracias._ Indeed I will."

Felipe frowned. A heavy stone lay in his heart. This wasn't fair; he loved that colt!

Seeing his disappointment, Diego knelt before the boy. "Felipe, listen to me." He brushed the little boy's damp hair out of his eyes. "My father told me, months ago, that he was going to give Princesa's child to Rafael if it survived. He wants Rafael to have the colt because he loves my cousin. The foal will be well-cared for and well-treated by Rafael and his ranch hands, when the time comes."

Don Alejandro nodded agreement. "That's right, Felipe; he will be. My nephew's very good with horses, and he treats them well." He squeezed the boy's shoulder, coaxing a reluctant smile out of the boy. "At any rate, the colt won't be going away from here till he's four or five years old, at least-you'll be 11 or 12 years old, by then. So you'll have ample opportunities to play with him for the next few years." The elderly _caballero_ glanced at his foreman. "Maybe Miguel will let you help him care for the orphan foal in between your duties."

Miguel nodded. "I have no objection. When I'm around, that is; I don't want the boy alone with the colt or any other."

Felipe smiled at the prospect. At the moment, the colt, having eaten his fill, backed away and the mare licked him. As the servant boy watched, he yawned and rubbed his eyes. He hadn't realized until then how sleepy he had become.

Miguel blew out the torch, then opened the barn doors; reddish-orange sunlight flooded the entrance. Don Rafael glanced at his timepiece. "Well, I've got to get ready to go, Uncle Alejandro. It's time I went back to Santa Barbara; I've got a ranch to run, as you know. I'll be back for Christmas, though." He looked at Felipe. "I have this young man to visit, now. We horse lovers must stick together, you know." His eyes twinkled.

With a grin, Felipe nodded agreement. Laughing, Don Diego crossed his arms while Don Alejandro clasped his hands behind his back. "You'll stay with us one more night, won't you?"

"Yes, uncle." Don Rafael nodded. "I'm going to take a _siesta_ now. I'm tired."

"We all are, so we will all nap. Including a sleepy young boy I see standing near me." Don Alejandro's eyes twinkled at Felipe.

The little boy approached the wobbly colt and petted him. Yawning again, he suddenly realized that he hadn't thought of Rafael Lopez or his friend's aunt and uncle in the last few days. Moreover, he liked this Rafael he'd come to know very much.

Felipe sighed. _I wish Rafael Lopez was here._ He shrugged. _Oh, well. At least now I've got this baby horse to play with._

Smiling and then yawning yet again, he bent over to hug the foal. He then followed the men out of the barn and back to the house, rubbing his eyes. To the east, a reddish-orange sun hovered just above the horizon.

**THE END **

3


End file.
